Most dogs enjoy chewing on things, although preferences vary as to the hardness of the substances favored. Some dogs like to chew on very hard materials such as cow bones, wood and nylon, while others prefer softer chews such as polyurethane or rubber. Still others favor freeze dried snacks. Some dogs, due to their age, may not be able to chew on very hard substances. Young dogs may have insufficiently developed teeth, while old dogs may have diseased gums or may have lost some of their teeth.
Many indigestible objects are given to dogs as a chew and although the dogs may enjoy chewing thereon, the objects are often swallowed in whole or in part. Once swallowed, these objects or fragments thereof may have an adverse effect on the dog's digestion and may become impacted in the dog's intestinal tract with life-threatening consequences. Other edible dog chews have been marketed which have a comparatively short shelf-life and therefore must be replaced by retail outlets at frequent intervals. Yet other prior art dog chews are lacking in structural integrity whereby they are susceptible to breakage during handling and shipping.
Attention is directed to the following United States Patents and copending applications, commonly owned by the assignee of the present invention and included herein by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,069; U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,427, entitled “Vegetable Based Dog Chew”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,565, entitled “Edible Dog Chew”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,197, entitled “Carrot-Based Dog Chew”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,180,161, filed Jul. 14, 1998, entitled “Heat Modifiable Edible Dog Chew”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,978, entitled “Improved Edible Dog Chew”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,110,521, entitled “Wheat & Casein Dog Chew With Modifiable Texture”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,441, entitled “Heat Modifiable Peanut Dog Chew”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,516, entitled “Method of Molding Edible Starch”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,586,027, entitled “Health Chew Toy”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,274,182, entitled “Animal Chew”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,941, entitled “Animal Chew”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,571, entitled “Treat Dispensing Toy”; U.S. application Ser. No. 10/643,168, entitled “Animal Chew Containing Hard And Soft Chewing Surfaces”; and U.S. application Ser. No. 10/873,941, entitled “Collapsible Pet Treat”.